Philippine Embassy

“Have you ever been ignored by the very government you helped put in power? I have.”Strong words from a man who has had to be strong. In 2010, Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III was swept into the Philippine Presidency on a tide of emotion and nostalgia. President Noynoy, PNoy, used

Noel de Leon's first solo exhibition Life As I Know It is his own intimate story of a journey as a family man, a Filipino, and as an artist. His artworks will be displayed in a gallery space that Noel himself cleared out and revamped from its ruined state. His art is without cultural

Rebecca Grant: actress, singer and artist. An admirable combination. I catch up with Rebecca in the closing week of her maiden art exhibition, suitably named ‘An Actor’s Art’.On ‘An Actor’s Night’ opening night, excited members of the Filipino community, friends and

Rebecca with portrait of ex c-star Robert Powell (c. right) and Ambassador Reynaldo Catapang‘An Actor’s Art’ For actress and singer Rebecca Grant, ‘An Actor’s Art’ is her first exhibition of a lifelong hobby and passion. Rebecca, most famous for her

(Picture Courtesy of Archie G. Rotap)Wow! What an exciting opportunity to be able to write a blog for Philippine Generations!I have been a member of PG for a year or so and although I am not filipino myself I love all things Pinoy. My wife is from Pangasinan, we have 2 teenage children

STATEMENT OF THE PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOMON THE DEMISE OF FORMER PRESIDENT CORAZON COJUANGCO AQUINO (1933-2009)The Philippine Embassy in London expresses its deepest and most profound sorrow at the passing of former Philippine President Corazon C. Aquino.“Cory”,

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced the month of May as National Heritage Month. This is an attempt to raise and create awareness about Philippine Culture and Heritage to Filipinos and also to those who may have interests of the Philippines. Ms. Armita B. Rufino, President

Saturday 2nd May 2009 will be a big day, the two most popular and most supported fighters in boxing today will be fighting in Las Vegas. In case you didn’t know, Ricky ‘Hitman’ Hatton and Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao will be fighting in a bout billed as ‘East meets West’.

In a letter dated 10 October 2008 to Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s Edgardo Espiritu, BBC Director General Mark Thompson apologizes for the offence caused by the episode of the UK comedy series Harry and Paul.

The letter, which the Philippine Embassy received only on 20 October says, “…please accept my sincere apologies, on behalf of the BBC, for the offence that this programme caused you.”

The apology came following a letter of 3 October from Ambassador Espiritu to BBC Trust Chairman Sir Michael Lyons expressing the former’s dismay over an episode of Harry and Paul, initially shown on BBC on 26 September and replayed on BBC 2 on 29 September. The episode made an insulting reference to Filipino women, typifying them in a dual role as domestic workers and sex toys of their British employers.

Ambassador Espiritu also wrote a similar letter to the BBC Complaints Centre, copy furnished Mr. Mark Pritchard, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group –Philippines and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Sir Trevor Phillips, head of the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission; the Office of Communications (OFCOM|), the independent regulator of the UK communications industries; Sir Christopher Meyer KCMG, head of the UK Press Complaints Commission; London Mayor Boris Johnson; and the Rt. Hon. Harriet Harman MP, UK Secretary of State for Women and Equality.

The episode angered a large number of the 200,000-strong Filipino community in the United Kingdom and led to some leaders of the community to put up an online petition where Filipinos could lodge their protest against BBC and the show’s producer, Tiger Aspect Productions. The online petition gathered more than 2,000 supporters within three days.

A silent vigil was also held simultaneously on 17 October in front of the BBC Office in White City, just outside central London, and Tiger Aspect Productions in Soho in central London.

Tiger Aspect Productions Chief Executive Andrew Zein, issued an apology before the members of the Filipino community who joined the Soho vigil.

“We’re sorry to anyone who was in any way offended by the programme. This certainly was not our intention,” said Zein.